Eyelid device for a doll



Oct. 31, 1961 w. NEFF ET'AL 3,006,110

EYELID DEVICE FOR A DOLL Filed Feb. 14, 1957 atet 3,%6,ll Fatented Get.31, 1961 3,006,110 EYELID DEVECE FOR A DOLL Willy Naif, Oftersheim,Baden, and Heinz Gassner,

Mannheim-Neuostheim, Germany, assignors to Rlreinische GummiandCelluloid-Fabrik, Mannheim-Necktirau, Germany Filed Feb. 14, 1957, Ser.No. 640,097 Claims priority, application Germany Mar. 16, 1%6

Claims. (Cl. 46-156) The present invention relates to an eyelid devicefor a doll or the like, and more particularly to an eyelid device inwhich the lid is movable to cover or close the eye.

In the prior art, dolls were made with closing eyes; however, in suchdolls, closing of the eyes was due to turning of the eyeball so that aflesh painted portion would show to simulate a closed eye. Such dollswere not lifelike and because the eyes were movable, children usuallypushed the eyes from the sockets into the head so that the toy was nolonger serviceable.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an eyelid device fora doll or similar articles which avoids the disadvantages inherent inthe construction of dolls according to the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to provide an eyelid device whichclosely simulates the natural eye by closing over the eyeball.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a liddevice which is simple and inexpensive.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an eyelid devicewhich is easily assembly into the face portion of a doll or similaritem.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an eyeliddevice which is sturdy and long-wearing even when made from less costlymaterials.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a doll having apair of eyelid devices which are movable independently of each other.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary eyeballand movable eyelid device which can be easily mounted on the doll face.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary eyeballand movable eyelid device which can be manufactured as a unit separatelyof the doll and can be fitted and mounted on a doll face with a minimumof assembly operations.

With the above objects in view the present invention mainly consists inan eyelid device for use with a doll face comprising a lid memberadapted to simulate an eyelid, a weight member connected with saideyelid member, and means securing and mounting said members on a dollface in such a manner that the eyeball and the lid member are movablerelative to each other.

According to the present invention the eyeball member and the weightmember are pivotally connected to each other before being mounted on arecessed eyesocket of the doll face.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of a specificembodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side view partly in section of a doll faceaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in section of an eyelid device according tothe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view partly in section of a doll face andeyelid device according to the present invention showing the eye open;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view partly in section of a doll face andeyelid device as shown in FIG. 3 but showing the eye closed; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view of a doll face according to thepresent invention.

In the present invention, a recessed eyesocket portion is provided forthe doll face member 1. The eyesocket portion, as can be seenparticularly in FIGS. 1 and 5, includes an arcuate first wall portion16a, extending transversely inwardly from forehead portion 1a of theface member 1 which is spaced a selected distance from the cheekboneportion 1b of the face member 1.

The eyesocket portion also includes a second wall por tion 16b, inclinedto and extending outwardly from the portion 16a, and a third wallportion 16c extending inwardly from the portion 16b and being generallyparallel to the forehead portion 1a.

An elongated cutout 19 is formed in the portions 16b and and a pair ofopenings 27 are formed in the portion Me on either side of the cutout19.

The eyelid device, as can be seen in FIG. 2, has an arcuate eyelidportion 17 at one end, a projecting or mounting portion 25 adjacent theportion 17, a weighting portion 18 at the other end, and eyelashes 20connected to the eyelid portion 17.

The eyeball member 21 has a straight back portion as shown in FIG. 2. Abacking plate member 2'2 having a projecting or mounting portion 24 anda pair of pins 26 on one face, and prongs 23 on the other face at theupper rim thereof, is connected to the back of the eyeball member 21, asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The connection may be maintained by means of anadhesive substance. The prongs 23 engage the upper rim of the eyeballmember 21 to position it securely against the backing plate member 22.Prong means may be sufficient to maintain the eyeball 21 in place sincethe lower rim of the latter, as shown in FIG. 8, sits in the recessbetween the socket portion 16c and the cheekbone portion 1b.

The backing plate member 22 and the eyelid device are pivotallyconnected to each other by the projecting or mounting portions '24 and25 respectively. Pin means are fitted into bores 24a and 25arespectively of the projecting portions 24 and 25 to maintain thepivotal connection. The projecting portion 24 may advantageously beformed as a pair of projections which would be located on either side ofthe projecting portion 25.

When the backing plate member 22 with the eyeball member 21 connectedthereto is positioned with the projecting portion 24 pivotally connectedto the projecting portion 25, the pins 26 enter the openings "27 in thewall portion 16c and fixedly mount the plate member 22 with respect tothe wall portion 160, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The eyeball member 21, the backing plate member 23 and the eyelid devicecan be pre-assembled into a unitary structure which is then set into thecutout 19 of the eyesocket so that the eyelid portion 17 is outwardly ofthe eyesocket and the weighting portion 18 is inwardly thereof.

The eyelid portion 17, in one position, is wholly within the recess ofthe eyesocket, leaving the eyeball member 21 completely uncovered, as inFIG. 3.

In another position, the eyelid portion 17 moves forward of theeyesocket and is completely in the space between the forehead portion laand the cheekbone portion 11) to cover the eyeball member 21 completely,as shown in FIG. 4.

The forehead portion 1a and the cheekbone portion 1b are spaced apart aselected distance and the eyelid portion 17 is of a length greater thanthis distance so that when the doll is in a horizontal position the lid17 covers eyeball member 21 completely.

It is also of advantage to have the selected distance interrelated withthe length of the wall portion 16a and the eyelid portion 17.

The arcuate configuration of the wall portion 16a of the eyesocket isadvantageously related to that of the eyelid portion 17 so that thelatter is completely with drawn as shown in PEG. 3 while the eyeballmember 21 is uncovered in upright position of the doll.

The length and width of the cutout 19 where it extends through the Wallportion 16b of the eyesocket is chosen so that free and smooth pivotalmovement of the eyelid device is possible to and from successivepositions.

Similarly, the dimensions of the cutout 19 where it extends through thewall portion 160 of the eyesocket are chosen to permit substantialsupport of the backing plate member 22 and the eyelid device for pivotalmovement of the latter with respect to the former, and to achieve propercounterbalancing effect of the weighting portion 18 in the variouspositions of the doll.

The portion 1% of the eyesocket portion, adjacent the cutout 19, servesas stop means for the eyelid device in the extreme positions thereof.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types oftoys differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in aneyelid device for use with a doll face, it is not intended to be limitedto the details shown, since various modifications and structural changesmay be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the presentinvention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featureswhich, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a doll, in combination, a doll face having a forehead portion andan eyesocket portion, said eyesocket portion having a first wall portionextending transversely inwardly from said forehead portion, a secondwall portion inclined to said first and extending outwardly therefrom, athird wall portion substantially normal to said first and extendinginwardly from said second, said second and third wall portions beingformed with a cutout substantially transverse to said first wall portionand said third wall portion being formed with a pair of openings one ateither side of said cutout; an eyeball member located in said socketportion and having a projecting portion projecting inwardly into saidcutout and a pair of pins engaged respectively in said openings andfixing said eyeball to said socket portion; an eyelid device having aneyelid portion, a projecting intermediate portion and an elongatedweighting portion, said eyelid device having the projecting portionthereof pivotally connected to the projecting portion of said eyeballmember inwardly of said eyesocket portion and having the eyelid portionlocated outwardly of said eyesocket portion and said weighting portionlocated inwardly of said eyesocket portion whereby said weightingportion counterbalances said eyelid portion so that said eyelid portionassumes a plurality of successive positions relative said eyeball memberfor covering and uncovering said eyeball member when said doll face isturned about a horizontal axis, said intermediate portion and saidelongated weighting portion of said eyelid device having a thicknesssmaller than the width of said cutout so that said portions may passthrough said cutout during the insertion of the eyeball and eyelid inthe eyesocket,

2. In a doll, in combination, a doll face having a forehead portion andan eyesocket portion, said eyesocket portion having a first wall portionextending transversely inwardly from said forehead portion, a secondwall portion inclined to said first and extending outwardly therefrom, athird wall portion substantially normal to said first and extendinginwardly from said second, said second and third wall portions beingformed with a cutout substantially transverse to said first wall portionand said third wall portion being formed with a pair of openings one ateither side of said cutout; an eyeball member; a backing plate memberfixed to said eyeball member, said plate member being located in saideyesocket portion and having a projecting portion projecting inwardlyinto said cutout and a pair of pins engaged respectively in saidopenings and fixing said plate member to said socket portion; an eyeliddevice having an eyelid portion, a projecting intermediate portion andan elongated weighting portion, said eyelid device having the projectingportion thereof pivotally connected to the projecting portion of saidplate member inwardly of said eyesocket portion, and having the eyelidportion located outwardly of said eyesocket portion and said weightingportion located inwardly of said eyesocket portion whereby saidweighting portion countcrbalances said eyelid portion so that saideyelid portion assumes a plurality of successive positions relative saideyeball member for completely covering and completely uncovering saideyeball member when said doll face is turned about a horizontal axis,said intermediate portion and said elongated weighting portion of saideyelid device having a thickness smaller than the width of said cutoutso that said portions may pass through said cutout during the insertionof the eyeball and eyelid in the eyesocket.

3. In a. doll, in combination, a doll face having a forehead portion andan eyesocket portion, said eyesocket portion having a first Wall portionextending transversely inwardly from said forehead portion, a secondwall portion inclined to said first and extending outwardly therefrom,a. third wall portion substantially normal to said first and extendinginwardly from said second, said second and third wall portions beingformed with a cutout substantially transverse to said first wall portionand said third wall portion being formed with a pair of openings one ateither side of said cutout; an eyeball member; a backing plate memberfixed to said eyeball member, said plate member being located in saideyesocket portion and having a projecting portion projecting inwardlyinto sa d cutout and a pair of pins engaged respectively in saidopenings and fixing said plate member to said socket por tion, saidbacking plate member including prong means at least at said edge thereofspaced from said pair of pins for engaging said eyeball member toposition the latter with respect to said backing plate member; an eyeliddevice having an eyelid portion, a projecting intermediate portion andan elongated weighting portion, said eyelid device having the projectingportion thereof p1votal- 1y connected to the projecting portion of saidplate member inwardly of said eyesocket portion, and having the eyelidportion located outwardly of said eyesocket portion and said weightingportion located inwardly of said eye socket portion whereby saidweighting portion counterbalances said eyelid portion so that saideyelid portion assumes a plurality of successive positions relative saideyeball member for completely covering and completely uncovering saideyeball member when said doll face is turned about a horizontal axis,said intermediate portion and said elongated weighting portion of saideyelid device having a thickness smaller than the width. of said cutoutso that said portions may pass through. said cutout during the insertionof the eyeball and eyelid in the eyesocket.

4. In a doll, in combination, a doll face having a fore head portion andan eyesocket portion, said eyesocketportion having a first wall portionof arcuate configuration extending transversely inwardly from saidforehead portion, a second Wall portion inclined to said first andextending outwardly therefrom, a third Wall portion substantially normalto said first and extending inwardly from said second, said second andthird Wall portions being formed with a cutout substantially transverseto said first wall portion and said third wall portion being formed witha pair of openings one at either side of said cutout; an eyeball member;a backing plate member adhesively fixed to said eyeball member, saidplate member being located in said eyesocket portion and having aprojecting portion projecting inwardly into said cutout and a pair ofpins engaged respectively in said openings and fixing said plate memberto said third wall portion of said socket portion, said backing platemember including prong means at least at said edge thereof spaced fromsaid pair of pins for engaging said eyeball member to position thelatter with respect to said backing plate member; an eyelid devicehaving an eyelid portion of arcuate configuration corresponding to thatof said first wall portion of said eyesocket portion, a projectingintermediate portion and an elongated Weighting portion, said eyeliddevice having the projecting portion thereof pivotally connected to theprojecting portion of said plate member inwardly of said eyesocketportion, and having the eyelid portion located outwardly of saideyesocket portion and said Weighting portion located inwardly of saideyesocket portion whereby said weighting portion counterbalances saideyelid portion so that said eyelid portion assumes a plurality ofsuccessive positions relative said eyeball member for completelycovering and completely uncovering said eyeball member when said dollface is turned about a horizontal axis, said intermediate portion andsaid elongated weighting portion of said eyelid device having athickness smaller than the width of said cutout so that said portionsmay pass through said cutout during the insertion of the eyeball andeyelid in the eyesocket.

5. In combination with a hollow dolls head having a front face, a pairof eyesockets formed in said front face and having each a rear Wallspaced from said front face, each of said rear walls being formed with aslot extending in longitudinal direction of the head through said rearwall; a pair of eyeballs respectively located in said sockets and havingeach a front surface spaced from said rear wall and a rear surfacefacing said rear wall; a pair of lid members extending respectively intransverse direction of said eyeballs and being movable between an openposition in which said lid members are located above said front surfacesof said eyeballs and a closed position in which said lid members arelocated in front of said front surfaces of said eyeballs, respectively;a pair of elongated weight means projecting substantially normal to saidlid members from the rear edges thereof, said Weight means having athickness smaller than the Width of said slots and eXtendingsubstantially in a plane of symmetry of said lid members, respectively,and having each intermediate the ends thereof a pivoting portionadjacent said rear faces of said eyeballs, respectively; and combinedsupporting and pivoting means connected to said pivoting portion of saidweight means and supporting said Weight means turnably about an axisnormal to said plane of symmetry, said combined supporting and pivotingmeans including bearing means fastened to said rear wall and saideyeballs and having each a portion projecting through said slots,respectively, and pivoting means connecting said pivoting portion ofsaid elongated weight means to said projecting portions of said bearingmeans, respectively, so that when said dolls head is turned about anaxis parallel to said turning axis said lid members will move betweensaid open and closed positions thereof to uncover and cover said frontsurfaces of said eyeballs, respectively, and whereby said combinedsupporting and pivoting means may be assembled with said weight meansand said eyeballs before inserting said weight means through said slotsin said rear walls of said eyesockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,408,794 Aronson Mar. 7, 1922 2,115,169 Hutnikow Apr. 26, 19382,696,064 Wolfe et al. Dec. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 626,901 GreatBritain July 22, 1949

